Renaissance High School Brings Chess Championship Back to Detroit

Renaissance High School reigns as the new national chess champions.

The school beat 67 teams to claim the title at the U.S. Chess Federation National High School Championship in Washington, D.C. earlier this month.

And, fitting a heroes’ welcome, the school showed out for their classmates on April 14. The auditorium was lined with chess pieces, the tools of the team’s victory. Members of the Renaissance High School JROTC Present the Colors greeted the team. The school’s principal, Verynda Stroughter, and Detroit Public School Community District School Board President Angelique Peterson-Mayberry led a group of contemporary dignitaries, which included administrators, politicians, and other VIPs, in greeting the champions. Peterson-Mayberry, Stroughter, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans and others praised the winners.

The team said that the glory isn’t just for the school but also for the city.

“It’s great to see the people light up, to see attention being shown on Detroit. That’s pretty amazing,” student Opemipo Clement told CBS News Detroit.

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Andrea Plaid

Andrea Plaid’s work on race, gender, sex, and sexuality has appeared at Newsweek.com, Vogue.com, The Guardian, In These Times, MadameNoire, HelloBeautiful and Rewire. Her commentary has appeared on MSNBC, Chicago Tribune, and Washington Post. She is writing the forthcoming stylebook, Penning with the People, for The Feminist Wire/University of Arizona Press’ book series. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Andrea now lives in Corktown.

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